Photo: Siarhej Satsuk, «Зеркало»
Nikita Zolotarev was arrested at the age of 16, after which he ended up in intensive care and then in a remand centre. He spent almost six years behind bars in a juvenile correctional facility and prison, where he was beaten, tortured, and denied the necessary medication for epilepsy. In March 2026, Nikita was forcibly deported from the country to Lithuania.
My name is Nikita Zolotarev. After my release, I found myself in Vilnius without any documents. Instead of a passport, I had only a certificate and my ninth-grade school certificate. During the five months I have been free, I have only just begun to recover. It was here, in Lithuania, that I turned 22, and I am only beginning to build my life from scratch – both professionally and in everyday life.
I have not yet had a chance to properly settle in and am in a state of uncertainty. At the moment, I have neither a job nor stable housing. My temporary accommodation has been paid for until September 18; I do not know what will happen after that.
My job search has not produced any results yet. And this also puts my health at risk: I have epilepsy, so I take medication on a regular basis. Right now, I need to continue my treatment and make sure I have the necessary medication.
I would like to learn a profession that will allow me to earn a living independently in the future. Even before my release, I was thinking about working as a barber, and now I have found suitable training in Vilnius at SYNTH Akademija. After completing it, I will receive a state-recognized certificate and be able to find a job in the profession.
This is especially important to me because I do not want to depend on other people's help all the time. I want to study, work, and gradually support myself independently. But for now, I cannot afford to pay for the training while also dealing with housing and medical expenses.
I also plan to attend driving school. In the future, a driving licence will also help me find work and give me more opportunities to support myself independently.
I spent most of my youth behind bars. While others were studying, gaining skills and knowledge, and getting their first work experience, I was unable to do any of that.
Help me start my life over – get a profession, find a job, restore my health, and build my future independently.
I will be grateful for any help.
Fundraising goal
€5128
€3500 – barber training at SYNTH Akademija
€1000 – housing for two months
€500 – driving school
€128 – epilepsy medication for one year